Suffering Chinese Elm

RWillieK

I have had this elm since a few weeks after Christmas.....but I can only guess I'm not providing enough light. What can I do? I have one 24" Chroma fluoroscent bulb over it, and its in a a west facing window.

Should I add another fluro bulb, or will an HPS work?

Thanks!!

Robbie

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RWillieK

So I've spoken with a number of people now about this problem. I have raised the single bulb up about six inches away from the top of the crown.

This weekend I am going to build a new stand/hood for some new lights. I found some Compact Fluorescent bulbs made by Phillips that I think will work. They are a 4100K color, 825 Lumen, 18 watts (which converts to 40 watts of fluorescent light). So thats 80 watts, 1650 lumens, compared to the 20 watts, and 80 Lumens the tree is currently receiving. The 4100K color should be a nice balance between red (1600K) and blue (4700K). The Chroma 50 bulbs (the current bulb) runs at 5000K, so its pretty blue, and doesn't encourage budding.

Here is my quick and dirty design of what I have in mind:



Comments, and criticism is appreciated!!

Robbie

TreeBay

>>which converts to 40 watts of fluorescent light.

18W= 1.25 watts of light plus 16.75 watts of heat

Compact flourescents are only 5-10% efficient, which is significantly better than incandescent, but still pretty terrible from an energy conversion standpoint.

Regards,

Matt

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RWillieK

These bulbs are equivelant to a 40 watt incandescent, not fluorscent.

Bonsainut

R,
Describe suffering, and why is this tree indoors?

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Keep growing,---'Nut



Lethal Use of Farce

RWillieK

It is indoors becuase it will not survive the winters here.

Suffering = dropping leaves, and lots of them. Today I was removing any that were brown, and noticed there are new buds opening, so I think the light was too close, so I moved it away.

The compact fluorescents were much much too dim....so I'm returning those, and adding another full spectrum bulb, or maybe another - cooler, warmer....not sure yet.

OF course I will be raising the bulbs up more, and eventually moving them down a little at a time.


I think all of this happened when I was trying to get rid of the little flys that keep emerging from the soil. I was trying to reduce the moisture, and maybe I reduced it a little too much. I think they were fungus knats or something like that.

Thanks,

Robbie

Ralph

Since we are on the subject, anyone know what are the weather/zone requirements for a chinese elm?

Steelyrfc

I'm pretty sure they are hardy from 8\9 - zone 5. Mine spends the winters indoors in a south facing window and seems to do fine.
Still drops leaves when the days get short.
Syf

rockm

Most of Kentucky is Zone 6 a or 6 B, within the winter hardiness of chinese elm, provided the plant is acclimated to the winter temps by being left outside in the summer and fall.